The manifestations of universality and cultural specificity in national curriculum policy frameworks: negotiations for culturally reflective practice in early childhood education

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a review of 19 national curriculum policy frameworks (NCPFs) across the globe and discusses dominant and culturally specific discourses that shape early childhood education (ECE). We combine two frameworks of developmental universality and specificity and culturally contextualised pedagogy to explore whether and how NCPFs are venues where culturally reflective practice is negotiated. Culturally reflective practice embraces minimum, globally universal standards of children’s rights and evidence-based practice, meanwhile critically reflects on the dominance of global and local discourses that impede a glocalised interpretation of quality in ECE. The paper argues that culturally reflective policy and practice is an alternative framework to cultural appropriateness/relevance in ECE.